What do we tell the kids? New Psychoactive Drugs And Drug Education Prepared by: Ren Masetti BA Hons,PGCE, Cert Substance Misuse Suffolk DAAT Training Co-ordinator and Consultant Trainer

Illegal market Legal market

Naughty but maybe legal And effective

Popular Ideas Scare them and they’ll stop J.Cohen 2000

Old Gold! “After lessons warning of the dangers there was MORE drug use than among the controls. Only non-drug focussed discussion of “personal” problems reduced drug use relative to doing nothing.” De Haes and Schuurman, 1975

Popular Ideas Bring in the police and an ex-addict-that’ll do it! J.Cohen 2000

Ex-user “They banged up heroin, I do a bit of Spice – what have we got in common?” “Wow – look at them standing up there!! Cool!” Therapeutic for the speaker – not necessarily the kids Extreme – often unbalanced view User seen as “expert” on drug use

Popular Ideas We can stop them by educating them J.Cohen 2000

Aim of Drug Education “Provide opportunities…to develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes and understanding about drugs and appreciate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle…” Drugs: Guidance for schools(DES2004)

What it can’t do Stop young people taking drugs! Drugs: Guidance for schools(DES2004)

Informed Choice

What can we do? Feelings Information Risks and dangers Decision making Consequences Punishment Rewards Etc. etc. etc.

SAY NO!!!!!!!!

What if they say yes?!!

Survival techniques Remember general health and harm reduction advice Allergy test Be aware of variables in admin route Stick with effective products But be aware that active ingredient might change Protect against dependency Effects may be delayed or surprisingly fast Never follow dosage on packet “Bottom of the bag” syndrome Always use less Leave as long as you can before re-dosing Expect a long and forceful effect Friends are all you have – NEVER use alone

Special thanks to: Robin Pivett – Suffolk Constabulary John Ramsey – St Georges University

Sources ACMD 2009 Annual Report ACMD 2009 Consideration of the major cannabinoid agonists Campbell, D, Online sales of legal alternatives to class A drugs raise safety fears. Guardian.co.uk (internet) 12th March. Available at: (Accessed 8th April 2009). Davies and Ramsey, Analytical Profiles EMCDDA, Report on the risk assessment of BZP Erowid, Plants and drugs (online). Available at (Accessed 8th April 2009 and 12 th October 2009) FRANK (online) (Accessed 12 th October 2009) Herbal Highs, Available at (Accessed 8th April 2009) Methedrone. com (online). Available at (Accessed 8 th April 2009) St.Georges 2009, Drug related deaths in the UK – a briefing Demos and UK Drug Policy Report 2011 Brandt, S. D.; Sumnall, H. R.; Measham, F.; Cole, J. (2010). "The confusing case of NRG-1". BMJ 341: c3564 Brandt, S. D, et al. Drug Testing and Analysis (2010). The Naphyrone Story: “The Alpha or Beta-naphthyl isomer.” Nutt, DJ, et al. The Lancet (2010). “ Drug Harms in the UK”: a Multicriteria Decision Analysis”.